Body of Michigan physician found in frozen pond five days after disappearance

Dr Bolek Payan was last seen leaving Henry Ford Jackson Hospital last week

Dr Bolek Payan found dead in frozen pond near Michigan home (Blackman-Leoni Public Safety/Facebook)

A Michigan doctor was found dead under the ice of a frozen pond near his home five days after going missing, according to authorities.

An extensive search was carried out at Dr Bolek Payan’s property involving K-9s, drones and officers on foot, officials said in a statement shared on Facebook.

When no sign of the doctor was found, rescue teams cut holes in the ice on the nearby pond and divers located his body.

Dr Payan, who specialized in psychiatry, was last seen leaving Henry Ford Jackson Hospital on Thursday.

The Blackman-Leoni Township Department of Public Safety says that detectives were eventually able to access Dr Payan’s home video camera system, which showed him leaving his home on foot several hours later.

Investigators believe that he was dead before he was even reported missing because of the frigid weather conditions.

“Our thoughts are with Dr Payan’s family and friends,” the department of public safety said.

No details have been given on how Dr Payan ended up in the water.

The Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office will perform an autopsy and toxicology testing.

Brutal winter weather conditions have killed more than 50 people across the US, with 27 found dead in hard-hit Buffalo, New York.